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Fashion and Instagram: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

An industry driven by the power of instant visual impressions has found a natural partner in the app that’s all about capturing the moment and passing it along to the rest of the world.

The growing partnership between fashion and Instagram almost makes too much sense: for example, a quick search for #NYFW on the network yields an endless bounty of shots taken by users who range from schooled photographers to gawkers and lucky gatecrashers. It’s the perfect tool not just for fashion followers but for designers themselves, who cop to co-opting others’ shots for both inspirational and promotional purposes. What better way to see what everyone’s wearing without dirtying your brand new shoes on the streets of New York or Paris?

Nanette Lepore, for example, tells The New York Times that she regularly scrolls through her fans’ Instagram clips, where the themes that emerge from a never-ending sea of shots give her ideas for upcoming collections (someone must have been wearing a lot of white and beige last year):

Of course, the ease of sharing candid clicks has also given fashion fans an unprecedented look inside the industry they love as well: photographers, bloggers, buyers, makeup artists and models go beyond the runway to offer viewers a different kind of angle on the industry.

Here’s man of the hour Jason Wu showcasing a more intimate view of one of his designs:

Engagement rates are considerably higher for Instagram than for other social networks, partly because it allows for a greater sense of intimacy. Here’s top DJ Chelsea Layland offering followers a view from behind the booth before the show starts:

In short, Instagram allows everyone to feel like an influencer while designers and fans alike get a closer look at street style. And getting your client noticed by an influential ‘grammer or fashion publication may be the best and fastest way to get the word out.